Indigenous Apostolate Network face-to-face meeting

From 17 to 21 October, the face-to-face meeting of the CPAL’s Indigenous Solidarity and Apostolate Network (RSAI) was held in Guamote, in the Andean region of Ecuador. The meeting was attended by the regional coordinators of the Network, members of ERCRILA (Permanent Team for Reflection on Cultures and Religions of Latin America), representatives of the Itinerant Team, the Afro Pastoral, indigenous brothers and sisters and religious representatives of the Indigenous Pastoral of Guamote.

The objectives of the meeting were: to gather, evaluate and project the progress of the Network for the next two years; as well as to encourage and strengthen the commitment of the members of the Network to better respond to the call of the CPAL’s PAC.2. As a result of the meeting and working time, the main achievements, progress and challenges of the Network were made known. Proposals were also gathered for a more active participation and knowledge of how to be with indigenous populations.

During the meeting, a prayer was held on the Utsubug hill with the participants, as well as an indigenous ritual to ask permission and as a payment to mother earth.

It should be remembered that the RSAI is a network in which Jesuits, lay people participate, fostering collaboration and synergies based on cultural and spiritual diversity. The Jesuit provinces of Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela and Chile participate in it. The Network has been meeting every two years since 1984, and since 2012 it has been decided to regionalise the general meetings: Southern Cone, Andean Region, Amazon, Mesoamerica and Central America. This is the first face-to-face meeting to be held after the pandemic.

Source: CPAL